USA 2002

During the winter of 2002 my dad George decided that he would retire early and as my brother Matthew had finished his university degree in 2001 and I would follow in 2002 we made the collective decision that we would take the opportunity of one final family holiday together.

We had been to most places that we fancied in Canada and had thoroughly enjoyed a couple of weeks in Big Mountain, Montana. During our time there we had heard great stories of the furniture race on the final Saturday of the season. I bought a Halwag map for Montana, Idaho and Washington and the seed was planted. After a little persuasion George agreed to a three week break during my Easter break from University on the understanding that my honours project would be complete prior to the holiday.

Looking at the map we decided that we would fly in and out of Kalispell, Montana and spend the final four days of the trip at Big Mountain, taking in the furniture race on the Saturday. Working out the route for each trip gives me a lot of satisfaction and the key was to find motels close to as many reports as possible and move in such a way that we hit open resorts and landed back at Big Mountain at the end.

March 23rd 2002 - A False Start

We were up and packed early and had enough time for a quick breakfast and read of the local daily newspaper. The headlines said it all and I was worried although George was burying his head in the sand in the belief that everything would be ok. The previous day had resulted in chaos at Aberdeen Airport with flights cancelled to Amsterdam which was our first destination to reach Kalispell.

On arrival at Aberdeen we were told that our flight was on time although I was extremely sceptical. Bags checked in we headed for a few beers and then on to the departure gate. It was becoming obvious with each ten minute delay that things were not going to plan and eventually we were told to gather our belongings and head out of the departure gate. Those requiring alternative tickets should queue up at the Service Air desk and they would make the necessary arrangements.

Waiting in the queue I decided to leave George and Matthew and head into the bar for a few pints. Checking their progress every thirty minutes until eventually they were near the front of the queue. Once we reached the front we handed over our tickets to the lady and kept our cool. After some time of nervously typing into her machine I could tell that she was having problems finding alternative flights. She checked for each day for the next five days and each time the answer was 'sorry, there are no seats'. As this was a special trip and potentially our last together I decided that the softly softly approach was getting us nowhere. With a large queue behind us I made it perfectly clear that unless she organised alternative seats we would not be moving. Within minutes she printed off new tickets leaving Aberdeen at 6am the following morning although we would have a slight change or route. Instead of Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Minneapolis and then Kalispell we would fly from Amsterdam to Detroit and then onto Minneapolis from there.

As we thanked her for getting us sorted we knew we had lost a day's holiday but that was tempered a little when she said that the tickets were for 1st Class travel. A taxi back home and an early night before finally making our way to the USA. It turned out that an earlier flight from Aberdeen to Amsterdam on the Saturday had been grounded for the 2nd day running. With tempers flaring armed police were called to calm the situation and it transpired that KLM had transferred the passengers onto our plane meaning that it was us who were stranded.

March 24th 2002 - Champagne Sir?

After the previous days adventure we had left our bags in checked baggage and caught our taxi into Aberdeen at 4am. Checking in and we were away. It was good to finally be airborne.

Boarding the plane into the business class cabin was a real treat. On arrival the steward asked if we would like a little champagne. Not one to turn down alcohol I sat back and enjoyed the service. The meals were so much better than the normal fare in the cattle class and my only complaint was that the TV was so far in front of my seat that I had to stand up to change channels. Decent choice of wine and liquors after dinner and the comfort certainly made up for the loss of a day.

On arrival in the USA we quickly went through US Customs and the remaining two flights were on time and because we had 1st Class travel in the USA we got free drinks and nibbles. Arriving just before midnight local time in Kalispell we picked up our 4x4 jeep and headed to the Aero Inn in Kalispell for the night.

March 25th - Skiing At Last

We awoke early on the Monday morning and after a quick breakfast were heading south from Kalispell on the 90 minute drive to Missoula and the nearby resort of Montana Snowbowl. The drive south is quite a scenic affair and although concentrating on driving it was hard not to look at the magnificent Flathead lake and surrounding mountains. We had no idea what to expect from Snowbowl as is was our first visit to a regional US ski resort.

The winding road to the area starts from HWY-93 just as you approach the city of Missoula and I was glad that the road was free of ice and snow as the drops are a little scary in places. The parking lot was reasonably quiet and covered in slush and ice which made me feel that coverage would be good and the slopes deserted. The lower two man chair leaves the base area sharply and it is difficult to see the true scale of the resort until you are on the chair and half way up the mountain.

To ski most of the mountain you require a second lift to the top of the mountain. From here the runs back to the upper chair are fairly mellow but it is the terrain to the base that gives Snowbowl its reputation as an advanced skier and boarder's mountain. Some of the trails are extremely challenging and few runs are pisted.

We spent the morning exploring our new mountain and by lunchtime had built up a good hunger and headed to the Snowbowl Lodge for a spot of lunch. Back on the mountain we finished the day with a run down the resorts 3 mile run to the base before having a couple of beers in the bar. Although it was quiet we gained a real sense that this was a mountain that would be worth another visit in the future.

Our first venture to a locals only ski hill in the USA was over and we headed on to Drummond and the Sky Motel that was to be our base for the next 3 nights.

Drummond is the real small time America with a population of under 500 in the area, a couple of places to stay, a couple of bars, a gas station and a diner. Not knowing what to expect we were all really pleased to find a decent motel with two of the most welcoming and friendly hosts we could have met.

After settling into our rooms we headed down to the Wagon Wheel Café for a bite to eat. With the main I-90 road passing just past town this is a real favourite with the passing lorry drivers. The value for money and size of portion was second to none and we headed back to our rooms for a good nights sleep.

March 26th - Free Bar

Our next resort was an easy 30 minute drive from Drummond so we took the opportunity of a longer lie in the morning before grabbing a cup of coffee with Bill in the reception of the motel. Bill and Kathy Wiese had recently taken over the motel after moving from Green Bay and it was thanks to them that we found that one of the resorts we had hoped to visit had closed due to financial problems the week before we arrived.

We set off for Discovery Basin passing through a couple of small towns as the morning sun began to shine high above us. We were set for a sunny day on the slopes. We passed a town by the name of Philipsburg and felt that we would take a look through on the way back.

Arriving in the parking lot it was again clear to see that the mountain was going to be very quiet and we could see that there were two distinct mountains. We spent the first few runs on the Sluice Box black trail down the front side of the mountain which was superb high speed cruising.

With the clouds beginning to roll in we headed over to the back side of the mountain where it was clear to see why Discovery is renowned in Montana as having some of the steepest lift serviced terrain in the country. The trails are steep and without fresh snowfall tend to become particularly hard and bumpy.

To finish the day we headed to the resorts secondary mountain which offers some superb beginner terrain as well as stunning views over to Rumsey Mountain. Taking a few photographs we then headed into the lodge for a few beers to finish the day. Unfortunately there was no sign of a bar so we headed back to Drummond.

Stopping in Philipsburg we quickly noticed that there were a few bars as well as a sweetie shop that offered the largest selection of sweets that I have ever seen. We all filled a bag with toffees and bought a selection of expensive chocolates to take home.

Our bar of choice was the White Front Bar and we settled down to a pint of Budweiser. I got chatting to the guy next to me who had been out logging trees all day along with the barmaid who was interested to hear what had taken us to Philipsburg. "Welcome to small town America" she said as she poured the beer.

After a while in the bar a bell suddenly rang. It is customary in the bar to buy drinks for everyone in the bar if you get a big win on the bandits so we managed to get a free pint before heading back down to Drummond.

We ventured down to Papa Noelly's restaurant in Drummond which is in the old Palace Hotel. It's amazing to sit in a building like that and think what it would have been like years previously. Unfortunately for me the food was not so good and it was a bit of a chore to finish my huge portion of meat and vegetables. Very little flavour and certainly not up to the usual quality. With little else to do we headed back to the motel for a few beers and nibbles and headed to bed.

March 27th - You Must Be Scottish

We headed off early to Great Divide, a drive of over 80 miles, in overcast skies but by the time we reached the resort the clouds were parting and the sun was shining through.

George headed into the ticket office and immediately was asked if he was from Scotland and had been the guy that had emailed the resort a few months earlier. Suffice to say it was obvious that Great Divide does not attract a lot of overseas visitors!

The mountain operates on a limited basis during the week and much of the mountain only opens during the weekend. We headed over to the Wild West area and spent most of the morning in the blissfully deserted slopes. This area of the mountain is a mixture of narrow trails trough trees and gladed areas. It was so quiet that the liftie had to come out of his building each time we came down to help us get onto the chair.

I did not really get a feel for Great Divide although I feel that with the entire mountain open and skiing with more advanced people that Great Divide would be well worth another visit.

March 28th - Montana And Idaho Magic

Our next stop was Lookout Pass that sits right on the Idaho and Montana border and although it's a 150 mile drive from Drummond it is all on the I-90 motorway and is an easy 2 ½ hour drive.

We arrived in the parking lot and to our surprise it was fairly full. Although the resort since then has expanded, during our visit there was only a two man chair serving the entire area. We had a blast cruising down though the fresh powder and as the day went on there was a steady fall of snow.

The small building that houses the ticket office and café was inadequate but very warm and we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. With excellent conditions we skied right to closing time before packing our car and heading down to the Super 8 motel in Kellogg that would act as our base for the next couple of nights.

On arrival we noticed that Silver Mountain, the gondola base is right next to the motel, had been closed by high winds for the day. That was the reason that Lookout had been so busy although having never queued it makes me wonder just how quiet it might have been!

March 29th - Perfect Time For A Beer

Staying right next to the gondola base there was little point in getting up early so after a long lie we had a quick breakfast that is included in the rates.

I am not a fan of resorts where you cannot ski to the base and I was unsure of what to expect from Silver Mountain. Once up to the Mountain Haus lodge the mountain splits into two distinct areas, Wardner Peak and Kellogg Peak. The skiing from Kellogg Peak is served by one lift and it is possible to ski a vast part of the mountain from this point although it may require one or two lifts to get back to the summit. To reach the summit of Wardner Peak you would need a short hike but that side of the mountain is served by one lift and the quality of skiing in the overcast skies was second to none.

We spent the day exploring the slopes before finishing up at 4pm for a few beers in the Mountain Haus before catching the last gondola down at 5pm. Soon there were only a handful of people left and it was time to head down to the base but we noticed that people were getting plastic cups filled with beer. It turns out that the bar will give you plastic pint glasses for the gondola journey and George and I both agreed that the time it takes to get to the base was spot on for drinking a pint.

We finished the day with a few beers in the bar at the base of the gondola and we grabbed a pizza to take back to the Super 8 and we would do it all again tomorrow!

March 31st - Another State Ticked Off

We headed off early from the Super 8 on route to Mt Spokane in Washington State.

We arrived at the lower parking lot and decided to leave the car here. The local race teams were out in force and I thought that perhaps the other base would be busier. Once on the mountain we found the conditions to be granular under our skis and with overcast skies it was hardly the best skiing of our trip.

The front of the mountain is served by three main lifts and the backside by one chairlift and we spent our morning exploring the area which was again blissfully quiet considering it was a Sunday. We headed to the lodge for a spot of lunch and keen to get back out onto the mountain Matthew and I left George and agreed that we would see him somewhere on the mountain during the afternoon. That was the last we saw of him!

After a good afternoon Matthew and I headed back to the car and waited patiently for George. Eventually fearing the worst we decided to drive up to the main lodge and report him missing. Luckily we met George walking back down the road towards us. His mountain navigation skills have always been a little sketchy but this takes the biscuit!

All set, we headed on to the Nordlig Motel in Chewelah for the night. We quite often find that eating a large meal at lunch means that we don't feel like much for dinner and today was one of those days. I headed out to the local Safeway and bought the usual mixture of drinks and snacks. Pepsi, beer, crisps and a giant pack of pasties saw us all through the evening.

April 1st - No Fooling, It's Free Skiing

The Nordlig motel offers free breakfast in the morning and George headed down to the room where the breakfast was laid out. The normal mix of muffins and coffee set him up well for a day on the slopes of 49° North. The resort name for some reason had always stuck out at me as being a little different and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.

We arrived in the sun and quickly worked out that although we needed a ticket, we would be skiing for free. The two main lifts both take you to the top of Chewelah Peak and the skiing in the wide open and deserted trails was nice, although not spectacular. Again, conditions quite often make resorts stand out and I am sure that in powder conditions this would be a superb little mountain.

Crossing my tips as I loaded onto one of the chairs caused me to lose both skis yet still manage to stay seated. Embarrassed, I waited for the guys to come up with my skis. I blamed the loss on fact that the clearance between the chair and the snowpack was too low but George and Matthew reckoned they had had no problems and that it was my lack of ability.

We headed off on the drive between 49° North and Sandpoint where we would stay for the next couple of nights. The first part of the 80 mile drive is a 10 mile section of dirt track and it really felt as though we were going to land up completely lost. Eventually we found Usk and headed onto the Super 8 in the scenic town of Sandpoint.

April 2nd - Stella, The 6-Pack

Schweitzer Mountain is one of the biggest and best resorts that people in the UK generally have never heard of. With 2900 acres and a 2400ft vertical drop this mountain skis big.

The mountain village was pretty well developed and really had a feel of a place that should be a major destination resort. Thankfully for us it is not and situated where it is it would be hard to envisage that changing. The village sits in the South Bowl area of the mountain with the rest of the skiing in the Outback Bowl.

During the morning we explored the South Bowl are and found that the area was almost entirely skiable with little in the way of trees. The A, B and C chutes were fairly short but challenging trails that we sped down time and again.

We headed over to the Outback Bowl and had a spot of lunch in the Outback Inn at the bottom of Stella. Stella was Idaho's first 6 man chair and the loading point is situated in a shed which has various old horse drawn carriages and the like lying around. Whisking you to the top in a matter of minutes the cruising terrain that it services is truly superb. It was strange to see a brand new 4x4 at the top but it was part of a raffle to raise much needed funds.
Finishing the day with a much needed beer we would have another excellent day exploring this massive mountain.

April 6th - The Furniture Race

We had driven to Big Mountain after finishing skiing on the 2nd and our base was the impressive Alpenglow Inn where we had stayed for a week in 2001.

After a couple of days on one of my favourite mountains it was time for the annual furniture race. Although it had been watered down by a recent accident, the aim is to strap skis onto a piece of furniture and race down one of the beginner slopes in the village. Furniture is a fairly loose category and we witnessed a wide array of seats, recliners, bathtubs, large beer bottles, oil barrels, Christmas trees amongst other things flying downhill with the aim of stopping in the centre of a bull marked on the snow. It really has to be seen to be appreciated!

The carnival atmosphere was superb with the local bars selling beer up on the mountain. In the evening there is entertainment in all the bars with the Stube being the place to be.

April 7th - Closing Day

Our aim was to one day ski closing day at Big Mountain and at last we had all fulfilled our dream. After the previous days excitement there is almost an air of resignation on the mountain with the bars closing at 5pm and I found it strange that the hill was not busier and that they did not have a right good piss up in one of the local bars.

We headed down to the Aero Inn for the night before flying home to Scotland. The flights were all on time and we arrived home having skied for 14 days, visited 8 new resorts and finished it off with 4 days at Big Mountain. A superb trip and a route that followed a natural clockwise circuit without having too many long drives. With this holiday over I was unsure where and when I would next ski but knowing that I had enjoyed a superb trip.

This article was written by Quintin Chalmers, a 30-year-old skier from Aberdeen in the north of
Scotland. Quintin has skied at over 50 North American resorts and is in the process of setting up
www.offthebeatenpath.co.uk designed to help like minded people find the best turns in some of the
more unusual resorts in western USA. He has over 20 years skiing experience and enjoys nothing
more than seeing new places that many people write off as being not worth the hassle.